Liverpool 1-3 Crystal Palace: Steven Gerrard played his final match at Anfield for Liverpool

That’s the problem with pre-planned celebrations. You can send out the invitations, arrange the play list, tailor the entire occasion for your guest of honour and it can all fall a bit flat.

And Crystal Palace are the worst kind of people to invite when you’re planning a gentle celebratory game. Steven Gerrard should have known better. In the past twelve months, they have been a thorn in the side of Liverpool, ending their title hopes last season with that 3-3 draw and then beating them last autumn.

Saturday afternoon was no different. Just as Jose Mourinho refused to play the role of ‘clowns at the party’ when Liverpool were on the verge of the title last year, so Alan Pardew’s team resolutely refused to be the sideshow. 

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Wilfried Zaha celebrates his goal in the 60th minute which gave Crystal Palace the lead at Anfield on Saturday afternoon

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Zaha tapped in amid calls for offside just 22 seconds after being brought off the bench by Alan Pardew 

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Steven Gerrard signs off from Anfield on the penultimate match of the season with a defeat by Crystal Palace

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A large red banner reading 'Steven Gerrard One of A Kind' is raised in the background as Gerrard shows his disappointment after the loss

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Gerrard applauds as he makes his way around Anfield for the final time as a player on a day that centred largely around him

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Gerrard poses with his daughters Lexie (left), Lilly-Ella (back right) and Lourdes (front right), who were by his side much of Saturday

Not least Yannick Bolasie. When he was substituted on 82 minutes, having run the Liverpool defence ragged all afternoon, large sections of Anfield applauded. His performance had been that good.

As for the centre of attention? Sadly not. A game which had the air of testimonial descended into one of those lacklustre Liverpool performances that leave you worried for their future.

Gerrard, for all the willing of the crowd, could offer little. His hopelessly skewed shot on 81 minutes even brought a friendly reproach from The Kop, inquiring ‘what was that?’ in slightly more forceful language.

He was rightly celebrated and lauded loudly in scenes which will rarely be repeated, such as Gerrard’s influence been for his club. But you couldn’t help but feel that Liverpool played the occasion, whereas Palace played the game. 

And when Palace scored their third goal in the 90th minute from a Glenn Murray penalty which shouldn’t have been awarded – Lucas Leiva did bring down Wilfried Zaha, but outside the box - it pretty much summed up their day. Even then Mignolet saved from Murray only for the striker to put in the rebound. 

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Wayne Hennessey (left), replacing Julian Speroni in goal for Crystal Palace, is well beaten by Lallana's lofted shot

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Gerrard (right) runs towards Lallana (second left) with clenched fists as the pair celebrate getting his farewell off to a perfect start

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Lallana jumps into the arms of Gerrard (right) after scoring his fifth goal of the season since moving to Anfield from Southampton

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Gerrard applauds his team-mates after Lallana's goal as the skipper urges his men to maintain pressure on the visitors 

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Palace forward Yannick Bolasie (front) proves a constant headache for Dejan Lovren and the Liverpool defence

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Bolasie's performance was so impressive that when he was substituted on 82 minutes he was applauded by the Liverpool fans

The sense of expectation around Liverpool was almost palpable. Last year they were anticipating silverware; this year it was something else, like the feeling before a wedding, a desire for no-one to spoil what is intended to a joyous ceremony.

There was a guard of honour the like of which you have rarely seen before a competitive match, including opposition back room staff, managers, squad players and officials; there was Gerrard emerging with his three daughters Lilly-Ella, Lexie and Lourdes; and there was a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone, set to a backdrop of Gerrard themed banners and mosaics that would have stirred that flintiest soul.

Yet perhaps inevitably what followed in the immediate aftermath was something of a let down. So momentous was the occasion, a humdrum end-of-season game could hardly do it justice. For long periods in the first half, the only discernible atmosphere was the sound of south London voices from the Palace end singing: ‘Have you ever seen Gerrard win the league?’

Presumably that is not how Gerrard had imagined his big day. But, as the 3-3 draw at Selhurst Park last season had proved, Palace are the not the kind of guests to settle for a quiet evening as wallflowers. 

For much of the first half they did their utmost to play the part of unwanted gate-crashers. Bolasie started up front ensuring Emre Can, Martin Sktrel and Dejan Lovren could look forward to a long afternoon. 

Jason Puncheon too frequently had the measure of Lovren and Alberto Moreno and on 22 minutes released Joel Ward with a delightful touch but he right back fired his cross in too hard. It was an early warning. A minute later Bolasie’s strike off Lovren went just wide.

Amidst all this nervousness, Liverpool were presented with a break. It was not fortunate, in that it amounted from their own pressing, with Martin Kelly rushed into a poor cross-field ball to Scott Dann, which Adam Lallana was able to intercept.

Lallana rushed on to the ball with the same verve that a young, attacking midfielder much loved in these parts once did. He finished like him too, decisively set off in the direction of Gerrard, whom he embraced, as he celebrated. 

It did little to settle the nerves, however. Bolasie drove past Lovren to create a chance which Joe Ledley wasted, shooting over; Bolasie then missed his own chance from inside the box; and Chung-Young Lee volleyed an angled drive high into The Kop.

Predictably a yellow card came for Can, troubled by Bolasie’s pace, on 44 minutes. Up stepped Jason Puncheon, Palace’s free kick specialist, and elegantly lifted the ball over the defensive wall and beyond a curiously motionless Simon Mignolet. The equaliser was well deserved even if it struck a somewhat discordant note in the proceedings. 

Half time brought a back four for Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers presumably keenly aware of the threat Palace were posing and the fragility of his team. It did little initially to contain them, Puncheon striking over and Skrtel tangling with Lee, causing Pardew excitedly to claim a penalty.

But the new 4-3-3 shape did bring improvement going forward. Jordan Ibe struck into the side netting from close range on 49 minutes, Sterling’s touch to Coutinho on 53 minutes saw the Brazilian drive just over and Henderson shot on 55 minutes was just wide.

Liverpool were at least gathering some momentum but no sooner had they done so, Palace struck. Substitute Wilfried Zaha had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds before he found himself the centre of attention. 

Inevitably Bolasie was at the heart of it, driving into the Liverpool box and delivering the cross on 60 minutes. Though Zaha was in an offside position, the ball deflected off Skrtel and the substitute, at the far post, was in position to tap home with his first touch of the game, before racing to the bench to celebrate.

Liverpool attempted to respond. Gerrard made his first significant impact on the game, driving a characteristic low strike from outside the box, which Wayne Hennessey collected on 65 minutes. But Bolasie could match that, latching onto a long ball, leaving Lovren and Moreno in his wake and smashing the cross bar on 67 minutes.  

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Gerrard leads Liverpool along the line of Palace players as formalities come to a close on a special day for the captain

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Gerrard enters the pitch with an elaborate 'S8G' mosaic formed by fans and with a guard of honour formed by both sides

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After offering high-fives to the Palace players with his three daughters by his side Gerrard's attention turns to the fans with pre-match applause

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Gerrard was accompanied by his daughters during the pre-match activities which centred around the departing midfielder

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Gerrard and his girls - with wife Alex up in the stands watching on - link hands as they walk across the pitch before kick-off

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Gerrard plays dad for a moment ahead of photographs with the referees as he speaks to his youngest daughter Lourdes, aged four

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Lourdes waves a 'Liverpool Legend' flag bearing her father's images ahead of kick-off for his final game at Anfield

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Fan banners of course are dominated by tributes to Gerrard including an image of his crowning glory, the Champions League victory

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According to Anfield's faithful Gerrard is 'Liverpool's gr8est' as the former England star's long-time service to the club is remembered

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This young fan is told to savour the opportunity to witness Gerrard in action with a banner describing the player as 'irreplaceable' 

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A variety of scarfs remembering Gerrard were available outside Anfield ahead of the much-anticipated occasion

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Goalscorer Puncheon shares a moment with Gerrard after the full-time whistle as the respect continues to be shown for the No 8

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Gerrard walks off the pitch at the end of the match after lacing up his boots for the final time for Liverpool at Anfield

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Gerrard appears disappointed as his final match ended in a manner that he would not have hoped for

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Gerrard puffs out his cheeks as he the attention remains focussed on him following the match

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Liverpool players wear Gerrard shirts as they wait for their captain to be presented following the match

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Gerrard carries Lourdes as his team-mates surround him in shirts bearing his famous name and number 

STEVEN GERRARD FAREWELL SPEECH IN FULL

'[This moment] felt very strange. I've been dreading this moment and the reason being is because I'm going to miss it so much. I've loved every minute of it. I'm absolutely devastated I'm never going to play in front these supporters again.

I think it's very difficult to pick one [moment to live again at Anfield]. I think the very first time I ran out thank to this man here to my left [Gerard Houllier] is a moment I'll never forget. The first time you'll ever play for Liverpool Football Club is a dream come true. Everything else after that was a bonus for me. The very first time playing for Liverpool was an absolute dream.

Listen, the club is in good hands. We've got two fantastic owners, we've got Ian [Ayre, chief executive] underneath that and we have got a fantastic manager in Brendan [Rodgers]. As you can see, there is an unbelievable potential in the squad. I'm sure there are going to be some new signings in the coming weeks and I just look at the players in front of me, who I shared the dressing room for many, many years and I have loved them to death and I wish them every success for the future.

I think first and foremost I would like to thank everyone at the club who has helped me over the last 17 years. From top to bottom, there is no order. There is too many people to name. I'd like to thank all my team-mates today in the squad, even the players that never got on, all the ex-players that I have played with over the years, they have made me the player I am today.

But I have to save my last thank you to the most important people at any football club but these supporters stand out more than any of them. I've experienced... [pauses as Anfield breaks out in applause and song] Just before I go, before the tears come, I've played in front of most supporters around the world but let me tell you, you are the best. Thank you very much, all the best.